How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Is it better to be a full time locum gp or join a chain group in terms of salary wise. (Of course I note that there is no career progression for both)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

52h work week ish sibei xiong

Is 52hr/week really xiong? Currently mopexing in ops. My working week is 8am-6pm on average daily (queue stop earlier, but usually will need to stay until around 6 to finish up).
I work 3 in 4 sat (from 8am -1pm). So essentially I work a 55hr week most weeks. Most of my colleagues in hospital probably work longer than 55hrs/week, and obviously we don't get paid 15k like what was being offered to the OP.

I am not a resident, so unlikely will do mmed, just waiting for my bond to end in 2 years time. But 15k for a 52 hr/week sounds good even if bonus is lower than what mohh gives (Especially if you consider you can locum on top of it)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is 52hr/week really xiong? Currently mopexing in ops. My working week is 8am-6pm on average daily (queue stop earlier, but usually will need to stay until around 6 to finish up).
I work 3 in 4 sat (from 8am -1pm). So essentially I work a 55hr week most weeks. Most of my colleagues in hospital probably work longer than 55hrs/week, and obviously we don't get paid 15k like what was being offered to the OP.

I am not a resident, so unlikely will do mmed, just waiting for my bond to end in 2 years time. But 15k for a 52 hr/week sounds good even if bonus is lower than what mohh gives (Especially if you consider you can locum on top of it)

Be careful. Your so called 52h/week could be calculated like this

Mon 9am to 12pm 3h. 1pm to 4pm 3h. 6pm to 930pm 3.5h total 9.5h
Tue 9am to 12pm 3h. 1pm to 4pm 3h. 6pm ro 930pm 3.5h total 9.5h
Wed 9am to 12pm 3h. 1pm to 4pm 3h. 6pm to 8pm 2h toal 8h
Thurs 9am to 12pm 3h 1pm to 4pm 3h 6pm to 930pm 3.5h total 9.5h
Fri 9am to 12pm 3h 1pm to 4pm 3h 6pm to 930pm 3.5h total 9.5h
Sat or Sun 9am to 12pm 3h. 1pm to 4pm 3h

Total 52h per week.

See you almost every weekday start work 9am end the day around 930 to 10pm (patients love to turn up just before closing. All watch TV finish then go clinic)
Work every Sat or Sun.

See you can do for rest of your life or not.

Can GP or RP earn as much as specialists? Heard that less than 1/3 get into residency now.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can GP or RP earn as much as specialists? Heard that less than 1/3 get into residency now.

Of course not. Otherwise whats the point of spending all that time earning less salary to become a specialist only to earn just as much as what GP can get right away finishing bond? Dun siao lei

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can GP or RP earn as much as specialists? Heard that less than 1/3 get into residency now.

Gp clinic is a business after all. U can out earn anyone if u got business acumen in your own clinic. As a hired gp , u probably get a higher pay much earlier than most specialist. If u invest well, u can probably retire early.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is 52hr/week really xiong? Currently mopexing in ops. My working week is 8am-6pm on average daily (queue stop earlier, but usually will need to stay until around 6 to finish up).
I work 3 in 4 sat (from 8am -1pm). So essentially I work a 55hr week most weeks. Most of my colleagues in hospital probably work longer than 55hrs/week, and obviously we don't get paid 15k like what was being offered to the OP.

I am not a resident, so unlikely will do mmed, just waiting for my bond to end in 2 years time. But 15k for a 52 hr/week sounds good even if bonus is lower than what mohh gives (Especially if you consider you can locum on top of it)

Lol, singapore really squeeze pple till they don't know they are overworked.
In auzzie, we are contracted for 76 hours every 2 weeks as a mo between 8 to 5 Mon to Friday. Anything out of that is overtime pay.

U will get burn out with 50 plus hours work week one eventually. Now young and energetic with friends in worse situation u feel ok. Forward to 20 years later, Ur friend all senior consultant doing 30 plus hours a week and u still toiling 50 plus hours sure regret plus plus.
I post m.med 1 year already damn Sian and burnt out liao. Have to pick up research, teaching to reduce clinical workload to make life bearable.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is 52hr/week really xiong? Currently mopexing in ops. My working week is 8am-6pm on average daily (queue stop earlier, but usually will need to stay until around 6 to finish up).
I work 3 in 4 sat (from 8am -1pm). So essentially I work a 55hr week most weeks. Most of my colleagues in hospital probably work longer than 55hrs/week, and obviously we don't get paid 15k like what was being offered to the OP.

I am not a resident, so unlikely will do mmed, just waiting for my bond to end in 2 years time. But 15k for a 52 hr/week sounds good even if bonus is lower than what mohh gives (Especially if you consider you can locum on top of it)

Most of my colleagues in hospital probably work longer than 55hrs/week, and obviously we don't get paid 15k like what was being offered to the OP. --> So you work more hours, for how much pay?

I am really sick of patient facing work. Am now in polyclinic , is there any admin job for doctors and how to apply or where to find

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Lol, singapore really squeeze pple till they don't know they are overworked.
In auzzie, we are contracted for 76 hours every 2 weeks as a mo between 8 to 5 Mon to Friday. Anything out of that is overtime pay.

U will get burn out with 50 plus hours work week one eventually. Now young and energetic with friends in worse situation u feel ok. Forward to 20 years later, Ur friend all senior consultant doing 30 plus hours a week and u still toiling 50 plus hours sure regret plus plus.
I post m.med 1 year already damn Sian and burnt out liao. Have to pick up research, teaching to reduce clinical workload to make life bearable.

I agree with you that life overseas definitely better. However now given the covid situation, and the fact that SG post grad qualifications are largely useless overseas, I dont have the option to move (even though I graduate from UK); hence have to find next best solution.
I have no interest in QI, research or admin work, hence I figured that only option for me is GP land (hence I chose FM residency- right/wrong decision debatable i guess). If burnout from clinical work, then take a few days off/week PRN. Locum more flexibility but of course pay less if you work less. For me, taking on more teaching/research work to reduce clinical load is not viable


I am not sure about senior consultant working 30plus hours a week; maybe for certain specialties (e.g GM). I just completed my GS, ortho and IM postings (for which I did GM, neuro and gastro)
- I can safely say that most of the cons (even in GM) that I work with are more stressed than my Preceptors in OPS (most of my preceptors are consultant in FM- i.e completed fellowship)/friends in GP land
- When I was in GS/ortho, my consultant starts at 7am (rounding) and finished after 9pm daily. (how I know- cause he always ask me to help him to medical report after clinic/OT, I will usually finish by 8-9pm, and he is still there doing his research work with his assistant); I guess he is well paid, but he definitely works more than 30 plus hrs/week
.
Gastro/neuro/GM not so bad, but I often see the consultants staying till 6-7pm as well (i often go to the admin block, where all the consultant offices are, to do some residency admin work/study as there are free computers and they are far away from the ward Lol)